06.03.2025, 22:01

47 IAEA Member States issued a joint statement

47 IAEA member states have issued a joint statement in support of Ukraine in connection with Russia's illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informs about this.

It is noted that during the March session of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 47 IAEA member states issued a joint statement dedicated to the third anniversary of Russia's illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP (ZNPP).

The IAEA member states confirmed their strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and condemned the illegal seizure of the ZNPP by Russia, as well as Russian attacks on Ukrainian nuclear infrastructure facilities. In their statement, the states called on the Russian Federation to immediately cease any military actions that threaten the nuclear security of Ukraine and the entire region.

They also stressed the importance of strict adherence to the “Seven Essential Principles of Nuclear Safety” and the five principles of nuclear safety protection as defined by the IAEA Director General. “Russia’s presence at the Zaporizhzhia NPP violates the “seven essential principles of nuclear safety and security in armed conflict”, which has led to the technical degradation of the plant and poses serious threats to the safety and security of the wider region,” the statement said.

The statement draws attention to the ongoing threats to nuclear safety arising from Russian military aggression. These include Russian attacks on Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure, including electrical substations that provide a stable electricity supply to Ukraine’s nuclear power plants.

The statement recalls the recent Russian drone strike at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which caused a fire in the New Safe Confinement, the facility that covers the destroyed fourth power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. IAEA Member States stressed the importance of the Agency’s work on monitoring nuclear safety in Ukraine and called on the international community to continue to support Ukraine.

The statement stresses the need to continue the physical presence of IAEA experts at the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, as well as to ensure unhindered access for the Agency to independently monitor the situation. In this context, it expresses concern about the latest rotation of IAEA experts from ZNPP.

The statement emphasizes the exceptional nature of this situation and condemns Russia’s actions, which purposefully impede the work of the IAEA in Ukraine and create unprecedented pressure on Agency staff in an environment of increased risk.

The statement calls on all IAEA Member States to uphold the authority, independence and impartiality of the Agency. We recall that in early March, the departure of IAEA experts from ZNPP took place along a route that was not agreed with the Ukrainian side. Ukraine considers the IAEA’s actions as a humanitarian evacuation in the face of a threat to the lives and health of Agency employees.

This situation is the result of Russian blackmail and systematic attempts to impose illegal and contradictory mechanisms of activity on international organizations in the temporarily occupied territories.

Ukraine highly appreciates international solidarity and support from partners in countering Russian threats to nuclear security and will continue to make every effort to return the ZNPP to full control of the competent Ukrainian authorities.